2016 data shows average number of babies in Israel highest among OECD countries

The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics’ report on births and fertility, which was released today, shows that in 2016, Israel had the highest total fertility rate among OECD countries. In that year, 181,405 babies were born in Israel.

In 2016, 181,405 babies were born in Israel, according to a report released by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. The report also showed that the total fertility rate, which represents the average number of babies a woman is expected to have over the course of her lifetime, in Israel was 3.11—the highest rate among OECD countries.

According to the data, the average age of Israeli mothers rose from the beginning of the century by almost a year and a half, standing at 30.4 years. The average age of first-time mothers was 27.6. The average age of second-time mothers was 29.6.

The data also showed that most of the women who gave birth during 2016 were Jewish. Around 20 percent of them were Muslim. About seven percent of the total number of babies were born to unmarried women. About 76 percent were born to single women, about 23 percent to divorced women and the rest to widows.

93,364 of the 2016 newborns (51.2 percent) were male while 88,041 (48.5 percent) were female.